The innovative technology they have developed is based on 3D printing structures that become stronger when subjected to pressure. So, for example, an earthquake would only strengthen the structural integrity of a building.
These are hardening and crack propagation mechanisms that prevent structures from yielding under stress. Of course, the idea of taking advantage of such structures is not new, but it has been the 3D printing which has opened the door to their practical application without the need for moulds. Researchers have carried out axial computed microtomography (the well-known hospital CT scan) to check the exact behaviour of the new structures and thus refine them.
So far, they have printed different architectures such as Bouligand (helical fibre arrangement) or honeycomb. In addition to configurations capable of hardening under pressure, these new modelling systems make it possible to generate new building materials with other properties, such as damping. Among its various applications is the creation of beams or columns.
